Week 4: Medicine + Technology + Art
April 28, 2023
So far, this was my favorite week of content. I think it's so interesting to think about medicine as an art form and as a science, so much of modern medicine can't provide answers. Understanding the body as art and the doctors working with it as artists is a very interesting concept!
When I think about medicine and technology I think about last March when I experienced a spontaneous pneumothorax. My right lung had a small hole in it and while I was walking to class I started to feel chest pain with each inhalation. I underwent a variety of testing to figure out what the issue was. First, they did a chest x-ray to see if that imaging would show anything. It didn't. Next, I underwent a CT scan where they were able to properly see the hole in my lung and develop a course of action for me. During Lecture Part 2, Professor Vesna explains the evolution of the scientific discovery of scientific imaging like I had (Vesna, 5:44). The advancement of this imaging was critical for me and I loved learning more about the perspectives on them from lectures this week!
[Image 1] On the right is a chest x-ray that does not show signs of a pneumothorax, on the left is a CT scan that does show air entering the chest cavity and a deflated lung.
I found the elements in Lecture Part 3 surrounding plastic surgery to be particularly interesting. Since we've propelled our medicine towards life saving measures through time, it's so interesting to me that so much investment has gone into cosmetic procedures as well (Vesna, 3:01). While it has existed for a long time, the influence of social media has no doubt played a role in the prevalence of it today. One poll conducted found a 30% increase in the number of patients considering plastic surgery since the widespread usage of social media (Arab, et. al.) It's interesting, and sad, to think about the acceleration our modern society is causing.
[Image 2] American advertisement for nose correction.
A last point I noticed from this week is the way that we express art so often through our bodies. Our hair, clothing, jewelry, tattoos, piercings, etc. are each ways that people use art to express themselves. All of these elements have evolved with trends but I find it very interesting that they've stayed consistent elements of artistic expression through time (Wall).
[Image 3] The Art of Fashion
Bent, Brinnae. “The Future of Medicine Is Digital.” Brinnae Bent: The Future of Medicine Is Digital | TED Talk, 2021, https://www.ted.com/talks/brinnae_bent_the_future_of_medicine_is_digital.
Wall, Rebecca. “The Human Body in Art.” ArtWeb Blog, 28 Dec. 2022, https://blog.artweb.com/art-and-culture/human-body-in-art/.
[Image 1] Omar, Hesham & Abdelmalak, Hany & Mangar, Devanand & Rashad, Rani & Helal, Engy & Camporesi, Enrico. (2010). Occult pneumothorax, revisited. Journal of Trauma Management & Outcomes. 4. 1-6. 10.1186/1752-2897-4-12.
[Image 2] Smith, Michelle. “Friday Essay: The Ugly History of Cosmetic Surgery.” The Conversation, 19 Apr. 2016, https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-ugly-history-of-cosmetic-surgery-56500.
[Image 3] “The Art of Fashion.” Financial Times Visual Journalism , 2023, https://ig.ft.com/art-of-fashion/aw16/.
Hi Sydney, first off, I really like the format of your blog! It's easy to read and very visually pleasing. I liked how you focused on plastic surgery and added sources of your own to relate it to the modern age, especially with the rise in social media usage. I think it's important to discuss the implications of new technology like this, as reflected by the survey you cited on increased consideration of plastic surgery.
ReplyDeleteHi Sydney! I really enjoyed reading your blog post and reading how you were able to relate to this week’s lecture material. Like you stated about how the advancement of imaging is critical when dealing with health issues, I can agree with this as I also recently had to undergo an MRI. I think medical technology’s advancements is truly fascinating as it allows us to peer into our bodies and see what needs to be fixed. Additionally, I like how it transcends medicine and can be a fundamental part of art as well. I also wrote about cosmetic surgery and its role in the artistic realm in my blog post, and I liked your consideration about how social media can exacerbate the desire to undergo cosmetic procedures.
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